INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM: GEOPOLITICAL COMPETITION OF THE “GREAT POWERS”

The article examines theoretical concepts of the definitions of “international system”, “great powers”, and “great power competition”. It is noted that the Russian aggression in Ukraine has become an impetus for reconfiguring the international system with new actors in world politics. One of the key features of a “great power” is its ability to influence other countries and shape international relations. This influence can take various forms, including: military power; economic power; political influence; and cultural influence.In general, the systemic view of international relations concludes that a common feature of all international systems is their oligopolistic nature. This nature of international relations fits in with the realist view of international relations.The purpose of the publication is to provide a historical analysis of the competition of the “great powers” as a reason for changing the configuration of the international system and to identify the forms of influence of the “great powers” on world politics.Thetwenty-first century was a time when all conditions (political, economic, and informational) seemed to have been created for the impossibility of a hegemonic war. Globalization and the information revolution have strengthened political and economic ties and reduced the importance of geographic distance. The growth of international trade is generally a factor of peace, which is a normal situation in a market economy. It is noted that neoliberalism is becoming hegemonic, formalizing the theoretical and ideological basis of existence in the form of the theory of democratic peace, which has acquired the status of an axiom in US foreign policy. It is emphasized that in reality, the laws of development of the international system take precedence over the theoretical ideas of the global liberal intellectual elite. We are now witnessing not only competition between the great powers, but something significant - an economic, military, and ideological conflict between the Collective West and the Global South.